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Hello again,

I've been starting to build a Chaos Space Marine army, using the Word Bearers' Grand Host as a base point. I'm not hyper-competitive, just looking for a list that does well in a more casual environment. I was also looking to have all the Gods represented in some way or another; it probably not optimum, but I just like the theme of Chaos Undivided, and the Word Bearers' benefits stood out a bit more than some of the other Legions

The list I've compiled so far is:
Core- Chaos Warband

Chaos Lord
-Terminator Armor
-Chainfist
-Lightning Claw
-Mark of Tzeentch
-Crown of the Blasphemer
-VOtLW
182 points

Chaos Space Marines
-10 Marines
-Champion w/ Power Sword
-2 Meltaguns
-Mark of Slaanesh
-Icon of Excess
-VOtLW
-Rhino w/ Dirge Casters
265 points

Chaos Space Marines
-10 Marines
-Champion w/ Power Sword
-Close Combat Weapons
-Mark of Khorne
-Icon of Wrath
-VOtLW
-Rhino w/ Dirge Casters
235 Points

Chaos Bikers
-3 Bikes
-Champion w/ Power Sword and Melta Bombs
-2 Meltaguns
-Mark of Nurgle
-VOtLW
128 points

Chaos Terminators
-5 Terminators
-3 Combi-flamers
-Heavy Flamer
-2 Power Axes
-2 Power Fists
-Champion w/ Lightning Claw and Chainfist
-Mark of Tzeentch
-VOtLW
253 points

Chosen
-5 Chosen
-4 Plasma Guns
VOtLW
-Rhino
185 points

Helbrute
-Lascannon
-Missile Launcher

Sorcerer
-Mastery Level 3
-Spell familiar
-VOtLW
125 Points

Command- Lord of the Legion
Daemon Prince
-Wings
-Power Armor
-Mastery Level 3
-Mark of Tzeentch
-The Malefic Tome

Auxiliary
Spawn
-1 Chaos Spawn
-Mark of Nurgle

The idea here is that the Prince flies ahead to summon some daemons (since Word Bearers cast Conjuration Powers on 3+) to disrupt/draw fire from enemy units/ capture objectives while the main force moves forward. The Chaos Lord and his Terminators, the Bikes, and the Spawn would assist the Prince in causing mayhem, and then the main force arrives to mop up the rest.

I'm kind of uncertain of how to properly equip the regular Chaos Marine Squads. I feel like kitting them for close combat would match well with the Word Bearers' access to Crusader, but Rhinos are not exactly great assault vehicles and they could easily get shot off the board before doing any damage. I was also considering Raptors and more bikes for the assaulting part of the army and leaving shooting to the regular marines, meanwhile the Sorcerer stays near the back of the formation to provide buffs (probably for the Helbrute- Geomortis has potential) and Warp Charges.

Very interesting list. I’m a very casual player, and so take this with a definite grain of salt. Just some observations: for an army that isn’t fearless and has no real access to feel no pain or improved invul saves, having lots of wounds seems important to keep from getting tabled. I can see a shooty army just wiping out large swaths of your force before they get close enough to use meltas and flamers, let alone assault.

What is you plan for the 5 terminators and chaos lord? That’s 435 points for 6 models, who can be totally wiped with AP2 weapons or assault from a horde army unit. Comparatively, you could run the Lost and the Damned (or alternatively the similar Crimson Slaughter Cult of Slaughter Fm) with a Dark Apostle and ~60 difficult to get rid of cultists. You could also pick up a Renegade Knight for that cost or convert the not-always-reliable Helbrute to a Mulerfiend or Forgefiend.

Also, I’m curious what your thinking behind the level 3 psykers is. Presumably you’d put some of your powers in Malefic Daemonology. Anything else?
Edit: Also, as your non-Daemon Prince psyker will be taking perils on any doubles when summoning. Seems like a definite chance of having it get destroyed just due to that (and you can't re-roll success with a spell familiar). Might be better off making that psyker level 1 and assume he'll die due to perils.

Several single wound models have power weapons. That always seemed risky to me. Similarly, if you roll dice as poorly as I do, the plasma guns on the Chosen are just as likely to misfire as they are to do any real damage. Could consider Havocs with autocannons instead.

Praise be to Lorgar!

A few thoughts.

1) Your list depends on the Daemon Prince and the Sorceror for summoning. Thinking the DP is going to be a fire magnet and the Sorceror is not going to be able to summon enough stuff to make it a threat. Needs more psykers.

2) The Chosen / Terminator combo bothers me. The Chosen die too easily, and the Terminators don't have enough damage output. The 2 flaws don't add up something good. Take one or the other.

3) Your MoN bikers are tough, but there's only 3 of them. Consider adding more and putting either the CL or the Sorceror on a bike.

4) Do you really need the CSMs in a summoning list? Cultists would free up a lot of points to spend on things that hit harder.

What is you plan for the 5 terminators and chaos lord? That’s 435 points for 6 models, who can be totally wiped with AP2 weapons or assault from a horde army unit. Comparatively, you could run the Lost and the Damned (or alternatively the similar Crimson Slaughter Cult of Slaughter Fm) with a Dark Apostle and ~60 difficult to get rid of cultists. You could also pick up a Renegade Knight for that cost or convert the not-always-reliable Helbrute to a Mulerfiend or Forgefiend.

My plan was for them to Deep Strike somewhere where they could do some damage, perhaps try to catch the enemy on two fronts if all goes well. Deep Striking isn't too reliable, especially since Chaos Marines can't manipulate their reserves as well as some other factions, so I have the option of modifying my plans as they come.

Also, I’m curious what your thinking behind the level 3 psykers is. Presumably you’d put some of your powers in Malefic Daemonology. Anything else?

He wouldn't be doing any summoning because, as you said, he perils much easier for not a whole lot of effectiveness. 3 more Warp Charges would help the Daemon Prince with his summoning, though, so I was going to use him as more of a support psyker/psychic battery for now.

Your list depends on the Daemon Prince and the Sorceror for summoning. Thinking the DP is going to be a fire magnet and the Sorceror is not going to be able to summon enough stuff to make it a threat. Needs more psykers.

Swapping out the Chaos Warband for The Lost and the Damned freed up a lot of points, enough to get another Sorcerer. It's a start.

The Chosen / Terminator combo bothers me. The Chosen die too easily, and the Terminators don't have enough damage output. The 2 flaws don't add up something good. Take one or the other.

Yeah, I was thinking that too. I decided to drop the Chosen, but the Terminators are still up in the air. A Terminator Annihilation Force might make them a little more effective, but not sure how much more effective.

Thanks for the explanation. Consider keeping the Chaos Warband, simply because of ObSec which the cultists in Lost and the Damned do not get. You could trim the Termie unit down to 3 and ditch the Chosen to free up some room (maybe more bikers). If you put your lord on the bike, you aren't contingent on reserve roles to get him into the action.

Also, I'm really split between Legion of the Damned versus Crimson Slaughter's Cult of Slaughter (CoS) formation. CoS allows as few as 2 squads of cultists, so it can be taken for fewer points. In some ways CoS is simply more annoying to your opponent because they'll shoot into your squad and maybe kill 4 or 5 cultists, who will pass their leadership test if they are within 9" of your Dark Apostle, and you get D6 back as soon as your movement phase starts. If the whole unit gets wiped, they're gone forever, but typically that doesn't happen. If it does happen, it means they are wasting lots of extra shots on cultists instead of harder-hitting targets.